What a great guitarist! I love GG and those five musicians were the best of the best. A favorite personal memory: October 1974. My college roommate and I purchase The Power and The Glory, invite two friends over for a listening, buy a case of Miller Lite, sitting on the floor in a circle, and soak ourselves with two uninterrupted undivided listenings of this masterpiece shaking our heads and marveling at their musicianship of performance and composition. Giant was unparalleled and the standard of musical excellence.
late one night on my pillow speaker I heard VALEDICTORY and my musical life was changed. shout out to WYSP and MMR for providing Quality content for many years
Great conversation. It's amazing that it's only in this day and age we get to hear the thoughts of our heroes.. In the 1970's the only real info I came across for Gentle Giant was a new album release. As a teenage musician I used to await their next release with apoplectic anticipation. Actually, I remember exactly where I was and what circumstances I was in. That's because any Gentle Giant release was a huge and meaningful event for me. A unique and unparalleled body of work from great musical pioneers.
Gentle Giant is my all-time favorite band. Funny Ways (live on Playing the Fool) is my favorite song ever. I bought all the albums and was very disappointed that the band never came to Las Vegas and I never saw them live. The videos are amazing. Kerry's vibraphone performance on Funny Ways is breathtaking. Love them long.
In 1970 my dad lived in a flat in London. In the flat below lived Jeff Green, Gary's brother. He introduced me to Gentle Giant, King Crimson and let me play his cream Strat when I was 13! Thanks Jeff: you changed my life in what I listen to but also I've been playing bass ever since!
I have been fortunate to have met Gary on several occasions. Gary is about the nicest, most engaging guy you'd ever meet and is humble about his amazing skills. Thanks for sharing this, Gregg!
They are/were the greatest most epic legendary, genius, unique, criminally underated band ever.Thank you so much greg for this damm great interview and of course thank you gary green for all of your incredible guitar playing and contributions.
I am a lifelong prog fanatic, but never embraced Gentle Giant until the Steven Wilson remixes. Since these came out, I have binged Giant non-stop and have continued to curse myself for missing out on 35 years of listening to this epic band. As happy as I am now to have GG in my life, I wonder now what their output would have been like through the years had they stayed together. I pray every day now for a proper reunion, even if it's a one-off show like Zep did.
I really have to hand it to you Gregg. Obviously there isn't too wide an audience for this kind of interview, but speaking as a keyboard player and a lifelong fan of Gentle Giant from the northeast like you It almost feels like you made this interview just for me. I love the minutia you delved into, and getting Gary to sing those parts that few people have ever heard is a dream come true as is the fact that I've met Gary, Kerry and Malcolm a number of times and Derek once. I even got to tell Kerry on two occasions that I consider him a modern-day Mozart. It's all so miraculous because as of around 1984, Gentle Giant were dead to the world and just about non-existent for a decade or two. It took the internet for a pocket of us to find each other and it grew from there. I applaud you for your in depth series of interviews with them from the standpoint of a musician and a huge fan. THANK YOU, I can't tell you how much it is appreciated!
Thank you for this great interview. Gentle Giant was pretty much the only thing I listened to for full two years at the age of 14-15. I know their first 8 albums pretty much by heart as I discovered when I revisited them this week for the first time in 30 years. Their music played a huge part in sparking my interest in music which has been my passion and profession ever since. So thanks again Gary and Gregg. I have looked everywhere for interviews with Kerry Minnear but they are nowhere to be found. I don’t suppose you could convince him to talk to you? That’s one interview I would love to see.
I fed deeply off of GG in 74 live my 1st time. Great conversation! ! Gary i can't tell you in words the impact you all had on me. It was simply life changing. The musianship and creativity was mind blowing. I was in college and we were just awe struck. Thank you! Watching you guys was such a emotional rush and joy! Bless you!
Thanks for the interview with Gary Green. Gentle Giant is my favorite band of all time. Was hoping to see Three Friends but was unable to. Hope Gary is doing ok. He had heart problems a few years back and hope he is doing ok. Hope he revives Three Friends to play in Germany.
Great interview Gregg! From the first notes I heard long ago from GG coming from In the Glass House, GG has been in my life. Saw them numerous time when they came in Montreal. The band of my life, colourful, creative, different, nothing compares to Giant. Talked briefly with him when he came with Three Friends in Montreal, most impressive guitarist of prog in my mind. Thank you again Gregg and thank you Gary!
God Bless WNEW FM in the 70’s. I remember Giant on the station, along with Yes, ELP, King Crimson, Caravan, Camel, etc., a stimulant to my progressive brain. Saw Giant multiple times…. Great memories. Thanks for the interview.
Gentle Giant was one of this groups that was better live than in studio as they lifted even the less accessible album tracks . I saw John McLaughlin live last year . Same there . One of the best concerts I been to ,
Unreal to me to hear a member of Gentle Giant speaking about XTC.. they’re both my favorite bands, I’ve listened to both of them today and for some reason didn’t expect their paths to cross😅😍
Dammit, why am I just now seeing this...two weeks after it came out, and 4 days after I turned 65? Gary Green...for cryin' out loud, the greatest guitar player from the greatest progressive "music" band ever! Gregg, you said you would hear Gentle Giant on the radio? Try growing up in Texas in the early-to mid seventies...we never heard this stuff on the commercial rock stations...we had to find it for ourselves, which made the journey that much harder, yet more rewarding. I still have all the original vinyl...some of the finest music ever produced(at least until right after "Interview"...then you guys sort of lost the script with me.) Good to see Gary looking well, great interview!
Merci from Montreal QUébec Canada, I saw Gentle Giant in 1976 in Québec city (Colisé de Québec=forum) in first part on Genesis realizing there album TRICK OF THE TAIL... I was in the second row. wow...Imagine historical privilege. Gentle Giant is genius on the same level as Frank Zappa, Genesis, Yes and several others, but in the version of the most complex music to play. I have all the albums purchased in the years of release. Thank you for this musical adventure, I have no words, but good ears. I have been a musician since the age of 12 and I am now 63 years old. God bless RAY and all of you..
This is an excellent interview Gary. GG is tied with Yes as my most seen bands. (Not for nothing, but Mahavishnu Project is not all that far behind. 🙂) My friends transcribed a few of GG's songs and through that, and by sneaking into a couple of venues in the afternoons before the shows, we got to meet them several times. Very nice guys, and of course superior musicians, (though as I recall, only Kerry and Ray could read the transcriptions we gave them).
I did not know how close the band was early on. Now it makes total sense. They had that band telepathy that only Zappa was able to teach. GG were awesome.
I was surprised to hear that Gary lives in Princeton, Illinois. My aunt, uncle and cousins used to live in Princeton so I had been there a lot. It's a nice small town, but certainly not the place you would ever expect to find a British prog guitar legend.
I remember at a GGORG in Wales, having the wonderful experience of meeting and talking to Gary. The question I always wanted to ask was, “How did you feel, when you sat in the control room, and heard Pantagruels Nativity played back for for the first time, with that beautiful guitar part?” He thought for a moment……but I don’t remember what he said🤣🤣🤣
Fascinating insight, thanks Gary and Gregg 👍🏻. I saw Three Friends at a wonderful church, All saints in Lewis Sussex, U.K. in 2010, a wonderful show of classic Giant music, having never seen the Giant in their heyday. Thank you Gary. 😊
Was that the Trading Boundaries show? I missed that by a day (didn't hear about it until too late) and Gary had his heart attack a short while later and I moved to Devon a couple of years ago. So I've never seen GG and Three Friends, which I would travel a good distance and pay a pretty penny to do ... Which is a major regret but I'm so glad that Gary seems to have made such a good recovery. Who knows, maybe one day I'll get to see Gary perform (in some guise or other) I certainly hope so! I also hope to get hold of an Unburied Treasure Box Set without having to take out a mortgage but I don't like my chances.😥
They did the full School Days live with Phil singing during the Jimi Hendrix movie support tour. They did play Mr Class & Quality but it wasn't hooked up to Three Friends instead it segued into Peel the Paint as an encore
Had no idea that they didn't feel quite comfortable doing the Glass House recording of "Way of Life." After all, they jump right in on time when that guy yells "GO!"
I may be in the minority, but I have really come to love Civilian. I think that if they stuck it out, Giant could have continued on, just as King Crimson, Yes, and Genesis.
What a great guitarist! I love GG and those five musicians were the best of the best. A favorite personal memory: October 1974. My college roommate and I purchase The Power and The Glory, invite two friends over for a listening, buy a case of Miller Lite, sitting on the floor in a circle, and soak ourselves with two uninterrupted undivided listenings of this masterpiece shaking our heads and marveling at their musicianship of performance and composition. Giant was unparalleled and the standard of musical excellence.
Amen and Amen!!
Gary and Giant are forever one of the most important bands ever and their reach continues to grow!!!
I think I did about the same thing but we had something else but it wasn't beer.
late one night on my pillow speaker I heard VALEDICTORY and my musical life was changed. shout out to WYSP and MMR for providing Quality content for many years
Great conversation. It's amazing that it's only in this day and age we get to hear the thoughts of our heroes.. In the 1970's the only real info I came across for Gentle Giant was a new album release. As a teenage musician I used to await their next release with apoplectic anticipation. Actually, I remember exactly where I was and what circumstances I was in. That's because any Gentle Giant release was a huge and meaningful event for me. A unique and unparalleled body of work from great musical pioneers.
Better late than never, in the oral history game. Sone great artists die before I get to them in my other gig at Yale OHAM.
Gary Green is such a great musician and a fun character. Every time I hear GG I feel like stomping my foot like he does.
Gentle Giant is my all-time favorite band. Funny Ways (live on Playing the Fool) is my favorite song ever. I bought all the albums and was very disappointed that the band never came to Las Vegas and I never saw them live. The videos are amazing. Kerry's vibraphone performance on Funny Ways is breathtaking. Love them long.
In 1970 my dad lived in a flat in London. In the flat below lived Jeff Green, Gary's brother. He introduced me to Gentle Giant, King Crimson and let me play his cream Strat when I was 13! Thanks Jeff: you changed my life in what I listen to but also I've been playing bass ever since!
I have been fortunate to have met Gary on several occasions. Gary is about the nicest, most engaging guy you'd ever meet and is humble about his amazing skills. Thanks for sharing this, Gregg!
They are/were the greatest most epic legendary, genius, unique, criminally underated band ever.Thank you so much greg for this damm great interview and of course thank you gary green for all of your incredible guitar playing and contributions.
I know who this is!!!
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I am a lifelong prog fanatic, but never embraced Gentle Giant until the Steven Wilson remixes. Since these came out, I have binged Giant non-stop and have continued to curse myself for missing out on 35 years of listening to this epic band. As happy as I am now to have GG in my life, I wonder now what their output would have been like through the years had they stayed together. I pray every day now for a proper reunion, even if it's a one-off show like Zep did.
Congrats for discovering the greatest band ever.
Better late...
I was late to the party, too, but I’m more than making up for it. Been bingeing on them for months now, and can’t get enough of them. Incredible.
Giant rule.
They were excellent before Wilson was even born .... 🙂
I really have to hand it to you Gregg. Obviously there isn't too wide an audience for this kind of interview, but speaking as a keyboard player and a lifelong fan of Gentle Giant from the northeast like you It almost feels like you made this interview just for me. I love the minutia you delved into, and getting Gary to sing those parts that few people have ever heard is a dream come true as is the fact that I've met Gary, Kerry and Malcolm a number of times and Derek once. I even got to tell Kerry on two occasions that I consider him a modern-day Mozart.
It's all so miraculous because as of around 1984, Gentle Giant were dead to the world and just about non-existent for a decade or two. It took the internet for a pocket of us to find each other and it grew from there.
I applaud you for your in depth series of interviews with them from the standpoint of a musician and a huge fan. THANK YOU, I can't tell you how much it is appreciated!
I love hearing this! Thank you so much and I am always happy to hear from the Northlands. We were really spoiled by WNEW-FM.
Gregg, you are the man! Can’t believe you got this interview!!
Ha! Thanks man! Good to hear from you always.
Thank you for this great interview. Gentle Giant was pretty much the only thing I listened to for full two years at the age of 14-15. I know their first 8 albums pretty much by heart as I discovered when I revisited them this week for the first time in 30 years. Their music played a huge part in sparking my interest in music which has been my passion and profession ever since. So thanks again Gary and Gregg.
I have looked everywhere for interviews with Kerry Minnear but they are nowhere to be found. I don’t suppose you could convince him to talk to you? That’s one interview I would love to see.
I fed deeply off of GG in 74 live my 1st time. Great conversation! ! Gary i can't tell you in words the impact you all had on me. It was simply life changing. The musianship and creativity was mind blowing. I was in college and we were just awe struck. Thank you! Watching you guys was such a emotional rush and joy! Bless you!
So happy you saw that.
Thanks for the interview with Gary Green. Gentle Giant is my favorite band of all time. Was hoping to see Three Friends but was unable to. Hope Gary is doing ok. He had heart problems a few years back and hope he is doing ok. Hope he revives Three Friends to play in Germany.
Thanks working on getting the other lads to come speak about Giant's incredible musical achievements.
Great interview Gregg! From the first notes I heard long ago from GG coming from In the Glass House, GG has been in my life. Saw them numerous time when they came in Montreal. The band of my life, colourful, creative, different, nothing compares to Giant. Talked briefly with him when he came with Three Friends in Montreal, most impressive guitarist of prog in my mind. Thank you again Gregg and thank you Gary!
Listened to “in a glass house “ yesterday. A masterpiece, I needed to hear it because of Ray’s passing.
beautiful. Now we really need a Kerry Minnear interview !
Yeah and also ray shulman
How about Phil, too?
Amen 🙏🏼 I’d love to hear more from Phil.
Working on all of them. Can't promise, but will keep trying.
great Interview ! I ve seen every GG Concert in Hamburg Germany. Thank you for the music Joachim Griebe
Lucky guy!!!
GARY!! nice to catch this here. Haven't talked to you in awhile!! 🎼🎸
This is the best geekiest interview of all time. I was counting and humming the parts with Gary.. this is a great interview.
God Bless WNEW FM in the 70’s. I remember Giant on the station, along with Yes, ELP, King Crimson, Caravan, Camel, etc., a stimulant to my progressive brain. Saw Giant multiple times…. Great memories. Thanks for the interview.
Great interview Greg!! thanks for getting these musical heroes on your podcast!
Gentle Giant was one of this groups that was better live than in studio as they lifted even the less accessible album tracks . I saw John McLaughlin live last year . Same there . One of the best concerts I been to ,
Thanks for a great interview.
I'm a lifelong GG fan.
God,I was happy when i found this in my feeds after a very trying week.Thank you so much Gregg Bendian and Gary Green.
Thanks for watching!
@@TheProgCast So Nice to see you catch up with my comments.Much appreciated.I wish you a very happy newyear!!!
Hi Gary, you’re so talented. Still so impressed with the incredible Gentle Giant!
All of us are.
Unreal to me to hear a member of Gentle Giant speaking about XTC.. they’re both my favorite bands, I’ve listened to both of them today and for some reason didn’t expect their paths to cross😅😍
Another great interview Gregg, Gary is a gem of a guitar player and person.
Dammit, why am I just now seeing this...two weeks after it came out, and 4 days after I turned 65? Gary Green...for cryin' out loud, the greatest guitar player from the greatest progressive "music" band ever! Gregg, you said you would hear Gentle Giant on the radio? Try growing up in Texas in the early-to mid seventies...we never heard this stuff on the commercial rock stations...we had to find it for ourselves, which made the journey that much harder, yet more rewarding. I still have all the original vinyl...some of the finest music ever produced(at least until right after "Interview"...then you guys sort of lost the script with me.) Good to see Gary looking well, great interview!
I know that I was spoiled by my growing up with radio experience, big time. I'm very grateful that it happened. Thanks for watching.
I loved Civilian ! Listened to it a couple of weeks ago.
What a great interview! Gary is a really humble and nice guy who just happens to be more creative than most everyone else. Excellent!
Loved this interview. Gary and GG are one of the best bands ever ❤
Great!! It would be cool if you were able to interview Ray or Kerry next.
Yes absolutely agree it would be damm great if greg could get ray or kerry
Working on that. Please stand by.
My all time favorite live album is their "Playing the Fool". So cool to hear a longer interview with Gary.
OMG my fav guitarist from my fav band ever, Gary Green. Youse guys were awesome in concert, even your Giant for a Day show was awesome.
Merci from Montreal QUébec Canada, I saw Gentle Giant in 1976 in Québec city (Colisé de Québec=forum) in first part on Genesis realizing there album TRICK OF THE TAIL... I was in the second row. wow...Imagine historical privilege. Gentle Giant is genius on the same level as Frank Zappa, Genesis, Yes and several others, but in the version of the most complex music to play. I have all the albums purchased in the years of release. Thank you for this musical adventure, I have no words, but good ears. I have been a musician since the age of 12 and I am now 63 years old. God bless RAY and all of you..
Loved Gary's style! Incredible guitar player.
Thanks Greg..another great one
AW - Thanks always!
This is an excellent interview Gary. GG is tied with Yes as my most seen bands. (Not for nothing, but Mahavishnu Project is not all that far behind. 🙂) My friends transcribed a few of GG's songs and through that, and by sneaking into a couple of venues in the afternoons before the shows, we got to meet them several times. Very nice guys, and of course superior musicians, (though as I recall, only Kerry and Ray could read the transcriptions we gave them).
Outstanding!! Thank you!
These Giant interviews are so great, thanks Greg!
Thanks so much! More to come.
I did not know how close the band was early on. Now it makes total sense. They had that band telepathy that only Zappa was able to teach. GG were awesome.
What a treat! Thanks, fellas.
Thanks Philip!
Interesting conversation! I have the Hindemith organ concerto / sonatas CD on the Apex label. Elisabeth Ullmann is the organist. Great stuff!
I was surprised to hear that Gary lives in Princeton, Illinois. My aunt, uncle and cousins used to live in Princeton so I had been there a lot. It's a nice small town, but certainly not the place you would ever expect to find a British prog guitar legend.
I remember at a GGORG in Wales, having the wonderful experience of meeting and talking to Gary. The question I always wanted to ask was, “How did you feel, when you sat in the control room, and heard Pantagruels Nativity played back for for the first time, with that beautiful guitar part?”
He thought for a moment……but I don’t remember what he said🤣🤣🤣
I saw GG opening for Yes at the Cow Palace and the Yes fans were so rude that I left when Yes played
Fascinating insight, thanks Gary and Gregg 👍🏻. I saw Three Friends at a wonderful church, All saints in Lewis Sussex, U.K. in 2010, a wonderful show of classic Giant music, having never seen the Giant in their heyday. Thank you Gary. 😊
Was that the Trading Boundaries show? I missed that by a day (didn't hear about it until too late) and Gary had his heart attack a short while later and I moved to Devon a couple of years ago. So I've never seen GG and Three Friends, which I would travel a good distance and pay a pretty penny to do ... Which is a major regret but I'm so glad that Gary seems to have made such a good recovery. Who knows, maybe one day I'll get to see Gary perform (in some guise or other) I certainly hope so!
I also hope to get hold of an Unburied Treasure Box Set without having to take out a mortgage but I don't like my chances.😥
@@andrew13yt
Not not trading boundaries.
And yes wishing Gary best of health.
I cant afford the buried treasure box set either!
I have a small poster of the Lewis, Sussex gig but cant upload a photo on here
Thanks for watching!
@@TheProgCast listening to the Pretentious … for the sake of it.. double album tonight as your reply came through 😉🤘🏻
This was luvly, thank you :-)
His Last Voyage! 🙏❤️🙏❤️
Great, wonderful interview...wow! Is that a Montreal Canadien hockey shirt in the back?
They did the full School Days live with Phil singing during the Jimi Hendrix movie support tour. They did play Mr Class & Quality but it wasn't hooked up to Three Friends instead it segued into Peel the Paint as an encore
saw them at the TOWER theater either late 76 or feb. //
Had no idea that they didn't feel quite comfortable doing the Glass House recording of "Way of Life." After all, they jump right in on time when that guy yells "GO!"
Apparently it was Gary Green that yelled GO
Mi favorito es acquiring the taste también
Are Three Friends still a 'thing'? I might have missed something in such a long video
Ah - had a proper listen and it doesn't sound promising post-Brexit :(
Rather untenable, according to Mr Green.
I may be in the minority, but I have really come to love Civilian. I think that if they stuck it out, Giant could have continued on, just as King Crimson, Yes, and Genesis.
Agree civilian is great
AGREE
It is sadly under-rated, and for no good reason really.
Pugwash was the John Bonham of prog ❤
Mahavishnu Project's website is down.
Lol ,he's my neighbor ,I didn't even know .
WHAT IS SOUL......SIMON DUPREE BIG SOUND